This invention generally relates to an articulated figure used in combination with a remote-controlled toy vehicle, and more particularly to an articulated rider figure for use with a remote-controlled toy motorcycle.
Remote-controlled vehicles are generally known. Specifically, two-wheeled remote-controlled toys are generally known. U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,891 discloses a two-wheeled wireless controlled toy motorcycle with improved stability in which a four-bar steering mechanism and a weighted gyroscopic flywheel are used to enhance the stability of the vehicle.
Articulated toy figures are also generally known. However, their use together is not generally known. It would be advantageous to use an articulated rider figure in conjunction with a ridden toy vehicle like a motorcycle, particularly, to simulate the performance of freestyle tricks by the rider when the vehicle is driven over jumps and bumps.
Briefly stated, in one aspect, the present invention is an articulated toy figure including a torso, a pair of articulated legs, and at least one hip spring. The torso has a front side, a rear side, and two opposing lateral sides between the front and rear sides. The pair of articulated legs are rotatably engaged with the torso at a pair of hip joints. Each hip joint is rotatable about two horizontal axes. A first horizontal axis extends generally through the front and rear sides. A second horizontal axis extends generally through the lateral sides of the torso. Each leg has a lower leg member and an upper leg member. The lower leg member is rotatably engaged with the upper leg member at a knee joint. The knee joint is rotatable about a third horizontal axis extending generally parallel to the second horizontal axis. The knee joint has a stop to prevent forward hyperextension of the lower leg with respect to the upper leg at the knee joint. The hip and knee joints are sufficiently lax for each leg to rotate when raised from an initial position to a higher displaced position and to return toward the initial position when the leg is released, whereby the articulated figure substantially simulates possible leg movements of a human being. The at least one hip spring is connected between at least one of the upper leg members and the torso, so as to bias the at least one upper leg to return to the initial position after having been moved from the initial position.
In another aspect, the present invention is a combination toy including a toy vehicle, an articulated toy figure, and at least one torsional spring. The toy vehicle has a propulsion motor for self movement and a handlebar with distal ends. The articulated toy figure has a torso with a plurality of limbs including at least a pair of arms with ends engaged with the distal ends of the handlebar while the figure is in a seated position on the vehicle. The at least one torsional spring is operably coupled with at least one of the handlebar and the arms so as to bias the toy figure back to the seated position on the vehicle when the figure is bounced up from the seated position during movement of the vehicle.
In another aspect, the present invention is an articulated rider for use with a remotely controlled toy vehicle. The rider comprises a torso and at least one torsional spring. The torso has rotatable limbs. The at least one torsional spring is removably coupled with at least one limb of the rider to rotatably couple the rider to the vehicle. The rotatable limbs randomly rotate from an initial riding position in response to the movements of the vehicle. The at least one limb is biased to return to the initial riding position by the at least one torsional spring, thereby simulating movements of a rider performing freestyle stunts.